Bristol Rovers caretaker-boss thrilled to keep Peterborough United’s free-scoring forwards quiet

Maher was Rovers’ third manager in three games following the dramatic departure of Graham Coughlan and Joe Dunne to lowly League Two side Mansfield.

And Maher believes Rovers will go on to have a great season.

“We’re fourth in the league for a reason,” Maher told the Bristol Post. “There’s not too much wrong with the place, so all it is is keep going and give the players belief.

“They’ve gone head to head with a team right at the top and a team who are going to be there for the season I would have thought.

“We knew the threat they carried with the front three. They’re top players in this division, and going forwards they’re going to carry a threat, but how we nullified that and carried a threat going forward ourselves.

“Ollie (Clarke) had a great chance at the end We could have won, so I’m really pleased with how we competed because we’ve had a tough week.

“The players have had a massive week, they’ve travelled to Ipswich and Plymouth, and with Graham going it was tough for them emotionally and mentally, so to respond as they did, keep going and nearly win it at the end, all credit to them.

“They’ve shown they can compete with the best and there’s no reason why that can’t continue.”